Variable-speed mechanism



0. w. HANSON. VARIABLE smb MECHANISM. 'AP PLICATION FILED N 0 V,.'26, l9l'9. RENEWED JUNE ZZ. 192i.

Patented Jan. 3,1922.

2 $HEETS$HEET I OW ("ISO/fl- ATTORNEY" III/III 0. W. HANSON.

I VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-26, I919- RENEWED JUNE 22,192l.

1 ,402, 4 3 Patented Jan. 3, 19 22.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A I, \I

m :1 m 1% E x I 11 Kg y S Wm m A TTORNEY entra n st OSCAR W. HANSON, F SALINA, KANSAS.

VARIABLZE-SPEED MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented J an. 3, 1922.

Application filed November 26, 1919, Serial No. 34:0,934. Renewed June 22, 1921. Serial No. 4829305.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that l Oscar: W. Hanson 1 J a c1t1zen of the United States residing in the cit of Sahna and State of Kansas 3 1 have lnvented new and useful Improvemerits in Variable-Speed Mechanisms, of

which the following a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdraw lIlflfS.

This invention pertains to variable speed transmission mechanisms for use upon automobiles, or trucks or tractors of any de scription for the purpose of increasing or decreasing the speed of the vehicle at will; or for use upon and in connection with certain classes of machinery such as lathes, drill presses, boring mills andsiinilar machines where it is necessary and desirable to have a speed control mechanism, the velocity of which may be varied for d: ferent classes of work; or for any other purpose requiring such variable speed mechanism. I

The primary object of this invention, therefore is to provide a variable speed transmission mechanism of this class and character which may be readily installed upon and. used in connection with the power transmission system as applied to any of the above or other classes of machines, and wherein friction gears are employed and the principle of frictional engagement is used in combination with a differential gear system as a method of producing such variations in speed by merely sliding one gear upon or over the face of the other.

A further object is to produce this device in as simple practical and efficient a form as possible for the purposes intended, and so that the same may be readily ins elled upon any machine or mechanism.

Referring to the drawings which con stitute a part of this specification l? 1 shows a sectional side elevation of improved mechanism with a portion of the housing broken away to reveal the construction and assemblage of the differential gears;

Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section of the same mechanism;

lleferring more particularly to the drawings my invention may be briefly described as a combination of the principle of the differential and the principle of the friction drive. lln carrying out my invention in its preferred constru tion I provide a suit able housing- A. which has direct connection through the rigidly joined link 2 with the source of power such as the engine shaft Thus the revolution of the shaft 3 revolves the entire housing; A. The housing); is made up of two half casings 4E and 5 adapted to meet along a central peripheral line 6 where they are bolted securely together by means of a plurality of bolts 7. The half casing l has a boxing 8 open at the side 9 for the accommodation of the tubular shaft 10. The other half casing 5 is likewise provided with a boxing 11 to accommodate the inner end of the solid shaft 12 which is journaled at 13 in said boxing; ll. Mounted within the housing A thus made up is the differential gear system B made up of a plurality of bevel gears, including the bevel drive gear 14- rigidly mounted upon the end of the solid shaft 12 near the end 13 thereof and spaced forwardly from said gear 14' a similar bevel drive gear 15 is likewise rigidly mounted upon the tubular shaft 10 at the end 16 thereof; and a plurality of power transmission or floating; bevel gears as 1'7 and 18.

These floating gears are rotativcly mounted upon stud-shafts 2i and 22, said studshafts being in turn rigidly anchored or clamped in the housing A in their sockets 25 and 26 which is accomplished by drawim; the two half casings and together by means of the bolts 7. Suitable forward stops as 29 and 30 act to prevent the floating gears 17 and 18 from crowding too far forward upon their shafts, while suitable wash-- era 38 and 84: located upon the jack shafts immediately back of the floating gears serve the similar purpose of holding the floating gears forward in mesh with the transmission gears 14 and 15. The solid shaft 12 passes slidingly through the tubular shaft 10 the former being snugly yet rotatively housed in the latter. The end 37 of the solid shaft 12 projects beyond the end of the tubular shaft 10, and is connected with the driven mechanism such as the pulley C.

A relatively small friction gear 39 is slidingly mounted upon the end of the tubular shaft 10 by means of the feather or key so rigidly attached to the shaft 10, passing through the key-way 4C1 formed transversely through the hub of the gear 39. Similarly, another small friction gear 42 of the same diameter as the gear 80 is likewise slidingly mounted upon the end of the solid shaft 12 by means of a key as rigidly attached to the shaft 1 and running through the key-way 44 formed in the gear l2. Thus the gears 39 and 42 are adapted for longitudinal movernent back and forth upon their respective shafts, but cannot rotate thereupon. The adjacent faces of the gear and 42 are provided with interlocking st (is and 463 adapted to engage one another when the two gears 89 and a2 move close together, thus locking the two gears together in respect of their rotative motion. Upon the outer faces of the two gears 39 and 42 are rigidly joined the annular shift-lever-collars at? and L8 as a means of engaging the lower ends of the shift levers 4:9 and 50, by means of which tie said gears 39 and as are shifted back and forth upon their respective shafts. Mounted transversely in frictional engagement with the two small twin gears and 42 is the large friction disk 51, 'the same being rigidly keyed to its shaft 52, and the said shaft being suitably journaled at 36 and provided with a thrust hearing at maintaining the face of the disk in constant frictional contact with said twin gears 39 and 4:2. This friction disk 51 is mounted adjacent the end of the tubular shaft 10 and has the annular groove 53 cut from its inner face concentric with the the shaft 52, the purpose of whic her inafter described.

The end of the shaft does not come out flush with the inner face of the disk 5Lw butfalls short thereof so as to leavea recess 55 of equal depth with the depth of tie groove 53. The groove 53 and the recess are of a width a little in excess of the width of the twin friction gears 39 and i2 and are a sufficient depth that when either of said "ears are shifted over aid groove or said recess 55, they will be out of frictional engagement with said disk 51, and will revolve freely.

It will now be manifest that rotative power being applied through the link 2, the housing It will be caused to revolve, thereby carrying around vith it the floating gears 17 and 18, the drive gears 15, and in fact the entire differential l3, and thus normally tending to rotate the gears 39 and 422 with equal velocity, in the absence of any retarding force being applied to said gears and However, these gears hcingin frictional engagement with the disk 51, it is evident the that such gees would be caused to rotate with different velocities; that is to say, the near 35) rota .lth certain velocity near to outer per ahery of the disk 51, the gear sa would necessity rotate with a less veloc' being located near the center of said disk 01 a d thus having to travel a less distance around said disk. 'l sus through the action of the (ilferential ll the respective torques of the s rafts l0 and will he equalized or lJilltzllCQL, and the solid shaft 12 having direct connec n with the machinery to be driven, as C, it is OVltltlll that the speed of such machinery will be governed accord ingly. lit is also manifest that by shilling the gear 39 inwardly towarzl the gear 42. there will be less rotation of or dillerential motion in the floating gears ,l'." and it of di ierential upon their in other words, the sh f' rotate with more hoary which means that the shaft i2 will rotate thus increasing the speed of the machinery (l to which said shaft exteiu'ls. dent that by shift. so that with relatively greater velocity It is also eviit; the two disks together loci-zed throu'rh the ac- ";uds ll and l and with shifted over the groove 53. and over the recess of. they would engagement with the 5i. and there would be no dill'ereutial 'enicnt whatever in. the differential the solid shaft 1.5. would then rotate they heron he .1 oclnn it greatest velo ity and would transpmver direct to the iuachinerf. ll is also evident tha; by shifting; the 523cm 4; across the recess m to the opposite or far side of the disk 51. that is. to the side upproaching the pulley (l. and by shifting the gear 39 into frictional engagement with the disk at any point upon the near or oppoi e side of said disk and between its outer J riphery and the groove as, that the gear a, would have greater leverage power than r-rould th gear 4 whereby the gear 239 would overcome tlu ear 42. and cause the to rotate in an maposite direction to the direc of rotation of the gear 3?) direction of "olatiou of the "pi "a nus is ac l the reversal o l direction of rota- V ti 1*. iuachln r1.

.. the $0111 39 inwardl bys' Lilzewi toi a rd th so as to entirely r from the di is: sh ftiuo; the t er. l-L over the recess tie l is thrown into neutral go, o and no motion is transsiti' a niittetl through the shaft 12.

In operation. this apparatus may be ap plied to any of the classes of meihanisius set forth in the first part of this specification. or to other classes. and by shi ltiue' the gears 39 and 42 relative to the disk 51 as aforesaid, any required velocity of rotation may be readily accomplished, or the direction of rotation reversed, or the mechanism stopped,

While I have herein described a certain specific manner and method of constructing the elements of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor details, not departing from the s of my invention, so as best to constr it a practical device for the purpose intended, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim to be new and patentable is 1. In combination with a rotative pow 5-: shaft, a variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a housing rigidly linked to said power shaft; a differential gear systen'i mounted within the housing; a solid shaft and a tubular shaft, the former being journaled through the latter, and both being e1;- tended from and having differential rotative motion controlled by said differential mechanism; two twin friction gears keyed for l0llgitudinal sliding motion, one upon the outer end of said tubular shaft, and the other upon the protruding end of said solid shaft; a relatively large friction disk, rotatively mounted transversely to and in frictional contact with said twin gears, said disk having a central recess and an annular groove encircling said recess upon the side adjacent said twin gearsand adapted to accommoi' ate said gears for their free rotation when shifted thereto; means for shifting said twin gears toward or from each other along their respective shafts and across the face of said friction disk, so as to relatively retard or accelerate the resultant rotation of the solid shaft; and separate automatic means for interlocking said gears when shifted to gether over said central recess and annular groove so as to transmit direct rotation to said solid shaft.

2. In combination with a rotz'itinp; power shaft, a variable speed transmission mecha nism, comprising a solid shaft and a tubular shaft, the former journaled through the lat ter and extended therefrom at each end; a housing rotatively mounted over one end of the combined shafts, the solid shaft crossing the housing and being journaled in one side thereof and the tubular shaft stopping: at and being journaled in the other side of said housing; a differential mechanism mounted within and anchored to said housing, and connecting; said shafts, for taking care of relative variations in the velocities of rotation of said shafts; two twin friction gears slidingly and adj acently keyed, one each near the exterior ends of tee tubular and solid shafts, the same having automatically interlocking studs upon their adjacent faces and annular shift collars rigidly attached to their outer faces; shift levers adapted to engage said collars; and a relatively large friction disk, having a central recess and an annular groove spaced therefrom font in one face adapted to receive the peripheries of said friction. gears and permit them to rotate freely, said dish being transversely and rotativeiy mounted upon its shaft and in frictional contact with said friction gears, and so that said may be locked together one each over said recess and annular groove for free rotation and consequent direct high speed transmission, and may be shifted to the side adjacent the tubular shaft for relatively slow positive drives, the gear on the tubular shaft clear to the inner periphery for the siowest pi. transmission, and off said per. iery for non tral position, while the gear on the solid shaft may be shifted oppositely across the center for reversed motion.

3. In combination with a rota-mg power shaft, a variable speed trans ission met-hanism, comprising a solid shalt n and a tubular shaft, the former ournaled through the latter and extended therefrom at each end;

a housing rotatively mounted over one end of the combined shafts, the solid shaft i11 the housing and being journalcd in one side thereof and the tubular shaft stopping at and being journaled in the other "dc of said housing; a differential mec anisi-ain mounted within and anchored to said housing, and connecting said shaft for iaki care of relative variations in the velocit s of rotation of said shafts; two twin friction gears slidingly and adjacently lreyed, one each near the exterior ends of the tubular and solid shafts, same having autmnaticaliy interlocking studs upon their adjacent faces and annular shift collars rigidly attached to their outer faces; shift levers adapted to eno'e said rollers; a relatively large friction disk, having a central recess and an annular groove spaced therefrom cut in one fa or adapted to receive the peripheries of said friction gears and permit them to rotate I.

freely, said dish being transversely and rotatively mounted upon its shaft and in frictional contact with said friction gears, and so that said gear may be locked together one each over said recess and annular groove for free rotation and consequent dirett high speed transmission, and may be shifted to the side adjacent the tubular shaft for relatively slow positive drives, the gear on the tubular shaft clear to the outer pe-- riphery for th slowest power transmission, and off said periphery for neutral position, while the gear on the solid shaft n'iay be shifted oppositely across the center for reversed motion; a shift lever engaging each of the twin gears through its shift key, as means for shiftin the same upon their shafts; and an adjustable thrust bearing l O (i shaft, a variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising, a solid shaft and a tubular shaft, the former ournaled through the latter and extended therefrom at each end; a housing rotatively mounted over one end of the COHtblllGCl shafts, the solid shaft crossing the housing and being journaled in one side thereof and the tubular shaft stopping at and being journaled in the other side of said housing; a differential mechanism to accommodate the'differential of rotative ve locity of said shafts, the same including two bevel drive gears, keyed one each to the solid and tubular shafts, and a plurality of bevel floating gears disposed transversely to and meshing with said drive gears. and being rotatively mounted on stud shafts anchored in said housing; two small twin, friction gears, slidingly and adjacently keyed, one

. each to the exterior ends of the two shafts,

the same embodying means for interlocking "and means of engagement with a shift lever for longitudinal shifting upon their respective shafts; a relatively large friction disk, having a central recess and an annular groove spaced therefrom cut in one face adapted to receive the peripheries of said friction gears and permit them to rotate freely, said disk being transversely and rotatively mount-ed upon its shaft and in frictional contact with said friction gears, and

so that said gears may be locked together one each over said recess and annular groove for free rotation and consequent direct high speed transmission, and ma" be shifted to the side adjacent the tubular shaft for relatively slow positive drives, the gear on the tubular shaft clear to the outer periphery for neutral position, while the gear on the solid shaft may be shifted oppositely across the center for reversed motion; a shift lever engaging each of the twin gears through its shift key, as means for shifting the same pon their shafts; and an adjustable thrust bearing for the shaft of the large friction disk, as means for maintaining the same in close frictional contact with said twin gears.

5. In combination with a rotating power shaft, a variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a solid shaft and a tubular shaft, the former j ournaled through the latter and extended therefrom at each end; a housing rotatively mounted over one end of the combined shafts, the solid shaft crossing the housing and being journaled in one side thereof, and the tubular shaft stopping at and being journaled in the other side of said housing; a differential mechanism to accommodate the differential of rotative velocity of said shafts, the same including two bevel drive gears, keyed one each to the solid and tubular shafts, and a plurality of bevel floating gears, disposed transversely to and meshing with said drive gears, and being rotatively mounted on stud shafts air chored in said housing; two twin, friction for automatically locking the same together when shifted together; an annular shift collar permanently joined to the outer face of each twin gear, as n'ieans of engagement with a shift lever; and a shift lever engaging each of the twin gears through its shift key, as means for shifting the same upon their shafts.

6. In combination with a rotative power shaft, a variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a solid shaft and a tubular shaft, the former journaled through the latter and extended therefrom at each end; a housing rotatively mounted over one end of the combined shafts, the solid shaft crossing the housing and being j ournaled in one side thereof, and the tubular shaft stopping at and being journaled in the other side of said housing; a differential mechanism mounted within and anchored to said housing, and connecting said shafts, for taking care of relative variations in the velocities of rotation of said shafts; two twin friction slidingly and adjacently keyed, one each to the exterior ends of the two shafts; interlocking studs permanently oined to the adjacent faces of the twin gears as means for automatically locking the same together when shifted together; an annular shift collar permanently joined to the outer face of each twin gear, as means of engagement with a shift lever a shift lever engaging each of the tvin gears through its shift key, as means for shifting the same upon their shafts; and an adjustable thrust bearing for the shaft f the large friction disk, as means for maintaining the same in close frictional contact with said twin gears.

7. In combination with a rotating power shaft, a variable speed transmission meclnn nisin, comprising a friction disk shaft; :1 large friction disk recessed upon one face centrally and annularl at a SpJCQd distance from the center, said disk being rotativcly mounted upon its said shaft; an :u'ljustable thrust bearing for said shaft; a solid shaft and a tubular shaft, the former journaled through the latter, and both being disposed diametrically across the recessed face of the friction disk; a twin gear slidingly keyed to the end of each shaft in frictional con tact with the recessed face of said friction disk and adapted to shift back and forth across the same; means for shifting said twin gears back and forth upon their shafts; means for automatically interlocking said lllll gears When shifted together; a differential mechanism mounted. on the opposite ends of said shafts and engaging" said ends so as to accommodate and balance the different stresses between said shafts resulting from variations in velocity of rotation thereof; and a housing for said difleientiai mechanism, the same being rigidly connected with said power shaft and with said differential mechanism so as to cause the diiferential 1o gears to rotate with the housing, for the purposes intended.

OSCAR W. HANSON. Witnesses A. K. Donne, A. M. Down. 

